Three times in Matthew 4 Jesus was tempted by Satan, and three times in Matthew 4 Jesus resisted Satan’s pursuits by quoting Scripture—“It is written!” If we have any hope today of successfully thwarting the deceptions of the evil one, we must follow the example of our Savior and commit the Word of God to our minds and our hearts (Psa. 119:11).…

Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).  He was able to resist Satan’s schemes by having the word of God hidden in His heart (Ps. 119:11).  More specifically, it is obvious that Jesus had taken time to memorize Scripture—committing it to His mind so that He would remember it and committing it to His heart…

The Bible reveals that Jesus “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).  How was He able to resist Satan’s devices and to keep Himself always well-pleasing to His Father?  From His encounter with the devil in Matthew 4, it is obvious that Jesus had made this commitment to His Father, “Your word I have hidden in…

We were sitting with a group of teenagers at dinner when the text messages started arriving one after another—“Michael Jackson has died.” We verified the reports, then drove back to the building while radio announcers lamented the unexpected death of the King of Pop.  After some time one teen inquired, “Is this what it was like when Elvis died?” Having not lived…

Our failing economy, our national security, our governmental corruption, our immoral culture, our personal struggles—it’s enough to get you down, keep you down and kick you while you’re down.  And you can spend your days and nights focusing on (i.e., worrying about) these kinds of things and drive yourself into a near panic. Or, you can focus on (i.e., enjoy and appreciate)…

Summertime in South Florida means rainy afternoons.  Sometimes we find the rain, or specifically its timing, to be frustrating to our plans and activities.  However, like a string tied around a finger might be a visual reminder, let us allow the rain to cue our minds to pause long enough to remember some things. The rain should remind us of the providence…

The youth work at Palm Beach Lakes is about to enter a new and exciting phase.  On June 1, Casey and Hannah Haynes will arrive to begin working with PBL youth, to help build and cultivate their faith, in order that they might continue to “grow in the grace and knowledge of Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18). Casey and…

Some folks have been conditioned to believe that studying the Bible is dull, boring, difficult or some kind of chore to endure.  Whoa!  Somebody is using the wrong conditioner! Or, some folks have not tried to genuinely study the Bible for themselves!  For, when one takes the time to read and study this book, he will discover that doing so is actually…